Jumbo Soft Shell Crabs - 2 Dozen + Batter & Seasoning (DDS)

Twenty-Four Soft Shells and Enough Batter to Match

Frying soft shells for a crowd is mostly a supply problem, and this package solves it: two dozen jumbo crabs at 5–5½ in, two full packages of soft shell batter so the dredging bowl never runs thin, and a shaker of HHC Seafood Seasoning for the finish. Each crab arrives already dressed, which at this quantity saves you the better part of an hour at the cutting board before anyone eats.

Running a two-dozen fry night

Set up a line: a tray of dry crabs, a bowl of batter mix, a skillet or Dutch oven of oil, and a rack over a sheet pan in a 200-degree oven. Fry four or five crabs per batch so the oil temperature holds, and move finished crabs to the rack; they keep their crunch there for a surprising while. With a helper on dredging duty, all twenty-four come off the line in well under an hour, and the cook still gets to sit down with everyone else.

Who two dozen feeds

When soft shells are the main event, most adults will put away a pair and the enthusiasts will go three deep, which puts this order comfortably in range for eight to twelve people: a birthday dinner, a team night, the family table at the beach house. If a smaller group is eating, the second dozen holds in the freezer for a repeat performance. Between fry nights, browse our seafood recipes for other jobs a soft shell can do.

The whole package ships cold in an insulated cooler. If your people love soft shells, this is the order that means nobody has to count crabs at the table.